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2ND ROUND, #51 OVERALL - AKIL THOMAS

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YP44 said:
can i also add Lombardi DID a good job.

Blake doing a good job and DL doing a good job are not mutually exclusive. GM's seldom get to ride the carousel twice, so even if Lombardi wanted to re-tool the club he already had his ride.
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I started with Blake because he is the current GM. Also, I should have included Todd McLellan. (edit: spelling)

Of course, Lombardi did a tremendous job rebuilding the franchise from the ground up and winning two cups.
 
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BallPointHammer said:
I started with Blake because he is the current GM. Also, I should have included Todd MacLellan.

Of course, Lombardi did a tremendous job rebuilding the franchise from the ground up and winning two cups.
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second part of what i posted wasn't really directed at you, just feel like it needed to be said.
 
kilowatt said:
Important to note that this was written in March 2019. I would expect Thomas and Madden to be higher,and Kupari perhaps a little lower.
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13. Rasmus Kupari, C (taken 20th by Los Angeles)
29. Akil Thomas, D (taken 51st by Los Angeles)
31. Tyler Madden, C (taken 68th by Vancouver)
The biggest prospect mover into the first round belongs to Vancouver. The Canucks selected center Tyler Madden early in the third round at No. 68. After a standout freshman NCAA season at Northeastern, he moves into the first round at No. 31.

pretty good re-draft for LA
 
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Kingfan1967 said:
13. Rasmus Kupari, C (taken 20th by Los Angeles)
29. Akil Thomas, D (taken 51st by Los Angeles)
31. Tyler Madden, C (taken 68th by Vancouver)
The biggest prospect mover into the first round belongs to Vancouver. The Canucks selected center Tyler Madden early in the third round at No. 68. After a standout freshman NCAA season at Northeastern, he moves into the first round at No. 31.

pretty good re-draft for LA
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This is where I thought Akil would be drafted originally. He has developed into a very solid all around player who plays hard consistently and is a team player.
It is Thomas's time to show the Kings Management that he can be a solid AHL player and work his way into the Kings lineup. Saw Akil this summer and he looks good. He has added some muscle and is training hard knowing how important this season will be. He is a smart young man who owns a clothing business now for a few years. Has his head on his shoulders and that maturity will help him at the next level. Quite the entrepreneur along with his obvious gift from the hockey Gods.
 
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I have a confession. I don't know what it is, but whenever I look at our prospect pool, I always see Akil as the kid missing out. He is the one that sticks out to me as not fitting in.

He is one of my favorite prospects, and I love his character, but I just don't see him fitting into the roster anywhere outside of being perhaps a solid depth player on the fourth line. For that, I feel he has more value on the trade block. Although depth wins championships... I hope I am wrong, but just a feeling.

He isn't top 6 material, his ceiling with the Kings would be on the third line, but when I watch him I always have a feeling that he won't stick.
 
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Telos said:
I have a confession. I don't know what it is, but whenever I look at our prospect pool, I always see Akil as the kid missing out. He is the one that sticks out to me as not fitting in.

He is one of my favorite prospects, and I love his character, but I just don't see him fitting into the roster anywhere outside of being perhaps a solid depth player on the fourth line. For that, I feel he has more value on the trade block. Although depth wins championships... I hope I am wrong, but just a feeling.

He isn't top 6 material, his ceiling with the Kings would be on the third line, but when I watch him I always have a feeling that he won't stick.
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It's gonna happen to a few guys, either they don't work out, or they are a casualty of their not being enough roster space.
 
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Telos said:
I have a confession. I don't know what it is, but whenever I look at our prospect pool, I always see Akil as the kid missing out. He is the one that sticks out to me as not fitting in.

He is one of my favorite prospects, and I love his character, but I just don't see him fitting into the roster anywhere outside of being perhaps a solid depth player on the fourth line. For that, I feel he has more value on the trade block. Although depth wins championships... I hope I am wrong, but just a feeling.

He isn't top 6 material, his ceiling with the Kings would be on the third line, but when I watch him I always have a feeling that he won't stick.
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The kings are going to have to deal some of their prospects or eventually lose them for nothing. Hopefully they make the correct decisions on which ones.

I think Akil is one of the ones that will stay do to his versatility. Bernstein (whom I don't like but seems bang on and well connected) has stated he sees Akil wearing a letter for the kings so I will trust that.
 
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YP44 said:
The kings are going to have to deal some of their prospects or eventually lose them for nothing. Hopefully they make the correct decisions on which ones.

I think Akil is one of the ones that will stay do to his versatility. Bernstein (whom I don't like but seems bang on and well connected) has stated he sees Akil wearing a letter for the kings so I will trust that.
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I hope so. I could easily see him being a more skillful Trevor Lewis on the third line for a decade, but my gut just tells me that he will be dealt within the next 2-3 years. As I said though, I hope I am wrong. Love the kid.
 
Telos said:
I hope so. I could easily see him being a more skillful Trevor Lewis on the third line for a decade, but my gut just tells me that he will be dealt within the next 2-3 years. As I said though, I hope I am wrong. Love the kid.
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It may be because I’m rooting for him but I have a great feeling about Thomas. I think he’s going to end up a middle 6 player that moves up and down the lineup and becomes one of those guys that defines ‘intangibles’.
 
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Statto said:
It may be because I’m rooting for him but I have a great feeling about Thomas. I think he’s going to end up a middle 6 player that moves up and down the lineup and becomes one of those guys that defines ‘intangibles’.
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My thoughts as well. The great thing about having such a deep prospect pool, and it's about to get deeper, is that you only need these prospects to play to their draft position, not above it. In the past, we as fans would be hitching our wagons to the hope of Akil Thomas turning out to be a 1st round top six type player. He doesn't have to. There are a handful of prospects who are earmarked for that development path. If Akil turns into a good middle sixer who can play some special teams, especially PK, and score about 10 to 12 goals and dish 20 assists a season it's a win.
 
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cyclones22 said:
My thoughts as well. The great thing about having such a deep prospect pool, and it's about to get deeper, is that you only need these prospects to play to their draft position, not above it. In the past, we as fans would be hitching our wagons to the hope of Akil Thomas turning out to be a 1st round top six type player. He doesn't have to. There are a handful of prospects who are earmarked for that development path. If Akil turns into a good middle sixer who can play some special teams, especially PK, and score about 10 to 12 goals and dish 20 assists a season it's a win.
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This is it, it’s not about all our top prospects playing as we all need certain team roles need filling. So Kaliyev isn’t playing 4RW once he’s a full time NHL player, he’s either a top 6 or he’s not here. So whilst we have plenty of primarily offensive talents in the system, we also need players of the type that Thomas is. He’s a different type of player and IMO gives something we will need.
 
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I’m way more optimistic on Thomas.

See him as a strong middle 6 that will be a forever team guy.

Thomas, JAD, Dudas - character guys that have the ability to surprise and develop. All motor and hustle all the time. That’s good fundamentals.

I see Kupari as the trade bait more than Thomas, quite honest.
 
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Think about if JAD and Akil Thomas could be a younger Stoll and Lewis combo. Thomas with a little more offense than Trevor. I think Thomas was also voted among the smartest players in the OHL last season. We may lose Lizotte to the expansion draft and if Dudas can develop like Lizotte, that's a win. Lizotte was a sneaky good player last season. He certainly was not a liability in any way when he was out on the ice and was a decent at the dot as well.
 
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Kupari is still a mystery to me. Here’s what Dillman and Wheeler had to say in the Athletic with regards to comparable players:

Rasmus Kupari

High-end comparable: Shorter Pavel Buchnevich

Low-end comparable: Filip Chytil

Wheeler’s take: Kupari is a bit of an antithesis to the modern NHL player. Even as the game becomes more and more of a track meet, the players who fit inside it are increasingly built to play a small area east-west game. Kupari is much more of a north-south player, using his speed to play in transition. He’s got a decent shot, so he can score in that role. He’s got decent hands, so he can play in tight if he has to. And he can definitely identify his linemates and get them the puck. But he’s less effective inside the offensive zone than many of his peers these days. Chytil and Buchnevich have found a nice niche playing that style of game as middle-six options, though I think Chytil is more of a third-line player than a second-line one, like Buchnevich has proven to be. Kupari has a chance to be a 40-to-50 point player while offering something a little different to a lineup. He’s not going to be a star though.

Dillman’s take: Kupari suffered a left knee injury — a torn ACL that required surgery — in Finland’s opening game at the world juniors. Kupari played in 27 games with the Ontario Reign, and had six goals and two assists. His first season in North America was marked by the inconsistency you might expect from a teenager. Kupari turned 20 on March 15. The coaches don’t want to stifle Kupari’s creativity but need him to realize there is a time and place for it.

“I thought he was good, and I think there was more there,” Stothers said. “He was a guy who has all kinds of ability, all kinds of talent. He was able to get by on that skill and talent at his age bracket. I see a guy that’s got great hands, great stick, a powerful skater and a nose for the net. I think he’s capable of making more plays than he did. He was a little bit guilty with us of trying to take the game on one-on-one.”
 
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